Improvement in tag-fastenings



NI'IED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN s. LOUGHERY, or new YORK, n. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN TAG-FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,755, dated January 14, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. LOUGHERY, of New York city, in the State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Tag-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification:

The invention is intended to provide convenient means for attaching tags to articles of different sizes which cannot well be hooked into. There are goods which, from their nature, cannot be easily perforated, and others to perforate which would seriously injure them. For attaching tags to all such it is desirable to extend a long and slender cord or wire around them.- I provide such ready attached to the tag, and in a condition reasonably compact and ready for instant extension. I form a wire of proper size in a closely-compacted coil, and attach such coiled wire properly to the tag.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure l is a View of the tag attached by this means to a large object, a portion of which latter is shown. In this view my tag-wire is nearly extended to its utmost. Fig. 2 is a view of the tag and its wire before being applied to use.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is the tag, and B B 850., the fasteningwire. 0 represents an object to which the tag is attached. The main portion of the wire is formed, by hand or by suitable machinery, into a compact coil, marked B. The wire beyond this coil, at one end, is formed into a small eye, marked B The wire B beyond the other end of the coil, is extended plain for a sufficient distance, and is secured in any ordinary or suitable manner to the tag A. The extreme end of the plain portion B" may be hook-formed, if desired, to facilitate the engagement with the eye B but I prefer to leave it straight and to form it into a hook, or otherwise twist it around through the eye B, at the moment of attaching.

When a tag provided with my fastener is to be attached to a small object the wire B B B is caused to embrace the object, and the ends B and B are engaged together without extending the coil B. If a large object-as, for example, a considerable box or barrel-is to be tagged, the whole coil B will require to be extended in order to allow the wire to reach around; and if a medium-sized object is to be embraced the coil B may be held by the fingers of the left hand so as to retain a half or other portion of it in its original compactlycoiled position, while the other portion left free is extended by a force applied by the right hand. With wire of proper thickness the coil B will maintain its coiled condition with sufficient force, exercising always a gentle elastic tension, tending to contract the fastening, while it is capable of being instantly extended by a sufficient pull to allow it to embrace a large object.

I claim as my invention- 1. A tag-fastening wire having a liberal length of wire formed in a free coil, B, ready gordextension when required, as herein speci- 2. The tag-fastenin g wire described, having the free coil B, eye B and extended portion B in combination with the attached tag A, and adapted to serve on articles of difi'e'rent sizes, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of September, 1872, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. LOUGHERY.

Witnesses WM. 0. DEY, ARNOLD HoRMANN. 

